
FOR THE 

CHILDREN'S HOUR 

BOOK I 


CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY 




















COFSRIGHT DEPOSm 

































FOR THE 

CHILDREN’S HOUR 


BOOK ONE 

By CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY 

Illustrated by Frederick A. Nagler 


FOR SUPPLEMENTARY READING IN 
THE FIRST AND SECOND GRADES 



19 16 

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY 
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



Copyright, 1916. by 

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY 

SPRINGB'iELD, MASS. 


/ 

SEP 26 1916 

©CI.A438 ?17 

/ , 


CONTENTS 


Chicken Little. 7 

Little Half Chick. 12 

The Sheep and the Pig. 19 

The Three Little Pigs. 24 

The Cat and the Mouse. 32 

The Travels of a Fox. 37 

The Alarm Clock that was Alive. 45 

The Old Woman and Her Pig. 50 

The Little Red Hen. 56 

The Gingerbread Boy. 63 

The Three Bears. 69 

The Anxious Leaf.. 78 

The Stone Baby. 81 

The Little Pine Tree Who Wished for New Leaves. 83 

How the Fir Tree Became the Christmas Tree. 88 

The Snowdrop. 91 

The Gourd and the Pine. 94 

The Little Field Mice. 97 

The Crow and the Fox.100 

The Top and the Ball.103 

The Ant and the Dove.108 

The Dog and His Shadow.110 

The Crow and the Pitcher.114 

The Ant and the Grasshopper.116 

The Wind and the Sun.119 





























CHICKEN LITTLE. 


Once upon a time there was a tiny, tiny 
chicken, and her name was Chicken Little. 

One day Chicken Little was scratching 
in the garden where she should not have 
been, and a bit of a rose leaf fell upon 
her tail. 

“Oh!” cried Chicken Little, “the sky is 
falling. I must go and tell the king.” 

So Chicken Little went and she went, 
and she met Henny Penny. 

“ Where do you travel so fast, Chicken 
Little?” asked Henny Penny. 

“Oh, Henny Penny,” said Chicken Little, 
“the sky is falling, and I must go and tell 
the king.” 

“How do you know that the sky is 
falling, Chicken Little?” asked Henny 
Penny. 

“ I saw it with my eyes, I heard it with 
my ears, and a bit of it fell upon my tail,” 
said Chicken Little. 


7 


8 


CHICKEN LITTLE 


“I will go with you to the king,” said 
Henny Penny. 

So they ran along together, and they 
met Ducky Daddies. 

“ Where do you travel so fast ? ” asked 
Ducky Daddies. 

“ Oh, Ducky Daddies,” said Chicken 
Little, “the sky is falling! Henny Penny 
and I go to tell the king.” 

“How do you know that the sky is 
falling, Chicken Little ? ” asked Ducky 
Daddies. 

“ I saw it with my eyes, I heard it with 
my ears, and a bit of it fell upon my tail,” 
said Chicken Little. 

“I will go with you to the king,” said 
Ducky Daddies. 

So they ran along together, and they 
met Goosey Loosey. 

“ Where do you travel so fast, Chicken 
Little ? ” asked Goosey Loosey. 

“ Oh, Goosey Loosey,” said Chicken 


CHICKEN LITTLE 


9 


Little, “ the sky is falling! Henny Penny 
and Ducky Daddies and I go to tell the 
king.” 

“How do you know that the sky is 
falling, Chicken Little ? ” asked Goosey 
Loosey. 

“I saw it with my eyes, I heard it 
with my ears, and a bit of it fell upon my 
tail,” said Chicken Little. 

“ I will go with you,” said Goosey 
Loosey. 

So they ran along together, and they 
met Turkey Lurkey. 

“ Where do you travel so fast, Chicken 
Little ? ” asked Turkey Lurkey. 

“ Oh, Turkey Lurkey,” said Chicken 
Little, “ the sky is falling! Henny Penny 
and Ducky Daddies and Goosey Loosey 
and I go to tell the king.” 

“How do you know that the sky is 
falling?” asked Turkey Lurkey. 

“ I saw it with my eyes, I heard it with 



So they ran along together and they met Fox Lox. 











































CHICKEN LITTLE 


11 


my ears, and a bit of it fell upon my tail,” 
said Chicken Little. 

“I will go with you to the king,” said 
Turkey Lurkey. 

So they ran along together, and they 
met Fox Lox. 

“ Where do you travel so fast, Chicken 
Little ? ” asked Fox Lox. 

“Oh, Fox Lox,” said Chicken Little, 
“the sky is falling, and we go to tell the 
king.” 

“Do you know the way to the king’s 
house ? ” asked Fox Lox. 

“No,” said Chicken Little. 

“No,” said Henny Penny. 

“No,” said Ducky Daddies. 

“No,” said Goosey Loosey. 

“No,” said Turkey Lurkey. 

“Then come with me and I will show 
you,” said Fox Lox. 

So he led them all into his den, and 
there he ate them. 


LITTLE HALF CHICK. 


A long, long time ago there was a 
black hen who had a large brood of 
chickens. 

They were all plump little birds, 
except the youngest. He was not like 
the other twelve. 

They were fluffy, downy little chicks. 
This chick had only one leg, and one 
wing, and one eye, and one ear, and half 
of a bill and half of a tail. 

His mother shook her head when she 
looked at him. 

“You are only a Little Half Chick,” 
she said. 

But in spite of having only one leg, 
Little Half Chick loved to run away. 
When the family went out to walk, he 
would hide. When his good mother called 
him he said he did not hear, because he 
had only one ear. 


12 


LITTLE HALF CHICK 


13 


One day he went up to his mother in 
the barnyard, hoppity-kick, and he said: 

“ Mother, I am tired of this farm. I am 
going off to Madrid to see the king.” 

“ To Madrid! ” said his mother. “ Oh, 
you silly chick, it is too far. Stay at 
home, and some day, when you are 
bigger, I will take you.” 

But Little Half Chick had made up 
his mind. Off he went along the road 
that led to Madrid. 

As he went along he took a short 
cut which led through a field and he 
came to a brook. The brook was so 
choked with weeds that it could not flow. 

“Oh, Little Half Chick, help me!” it 
cried. “Pull out my weeds!” it called, as 
Little Half Chick hopped along the bank. 

“ Help you, indeed! ” cried Little Half 
Chick, shaking the feathers in his little 
h alf tail; “ help yourself. I’m off to Madrid 
to see the king.” 


14 


Little half chick 


And hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away 
went Little Half Chick. 

But before he had gone very far he 
came to a fire in the woods. The fire was 
going out because it had no sticks. 

“Oh, Little Half Chick,” it cried in a 
weak voice, “ help me! Fetch me some 
sticks and dry leaves!” 

“ Help you, indeed! ” cried Little Half 
Chick; “ help yourself. I’m off to Madrid 
to see the king.” 

And hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away 
went Little Half Chick. 

The next morning, as he was coming 
near Madrid, he passed a large chestnut 
tree. He heard a great moaning and 
sighing in its branches. The wind was 
caught there. 

“ Oh, Little Half Chick,” cried the 
wind, “help me! Hop up here and pull 
me out of the branches! ” 

“Help you, indeed!” cried Little Half 



He popped Little Half Chick in the broth pot 













































































































































16 


LITTLE HALF CHICK 


Chick; “help yourself. I’m off to Madrid 
to see the king.” 

And hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away 
went Little Half Chick in great glee. 

Now he saw the roofs and steeples of 
Madrid ahead. When he came to the town 
he saw a splendid castle with soldiers 
before the gates. 

“This must be the king’s house,” said 
Little Half Chick. “I have come to rule 
the king’s poultry yard.” 

But alas! As soon as the king’s cook 
saw Little Half Chick hopping through 
the gates, he said: 

“Just what I wanted for the king’s 
dinner,” and he caught Little Half Chick 
and popped him into the broth-pot. The 
broth-pot was full of water. 

“Water, water,” cried Little Half 
Chick, “ do not wet me so! ” 

“Ah,” cried the water, “when I was 
in trouble you would not help me.” 


LITTLE HALF CHICK 


17 


And the water bubbled and boiled 
around Little Half Chick. 

“Fire, fire, do not cook me,” cried 
Little Half Chick. 

“Ah!” cried the fire, “when I was in 
trouble you would not help me.” 

And the fire went on cooking Little 
Half Chick. 

Just then the wind came down the 
chimney to see what all the noise in the 
king’s kitchen was about. Little Half 
Chick called: 

“Wind, wind, come and help me!” 

“Ah! ” cried the wind, “ when I was 
in trouble you would not help me; but 
come.” 

Then the wind lifted Little Half Chick 
out of the broth-pot and blew him out of 
the window. 

Up and down the roads and over the 
roofs the wind whirled him, until Little 
Half Chick could scarcely breathe. 


18 


LITTLE HALF CHICK 


On and on they went, until they 
came to the highest steeple in all Madrid. 

There the wind left Little Half Chick 
on the tip-top of the steeple. He stood 
on his one leg and looked off over the 
world with his one eye. 

An d there he stands today. 

Whichever way the wind blows that 
way must Little Half Chick turn. 

He can never step down, for Little 
Half Chick was the first weathercock. 


THE SHEEP AND THE PIG. 


One morning, bright and early, a sheep 
and a curly tailed pig started out through 
the world to find a home. 

“We will build us a house,” said the 
sheep and the curly tailed pig, “and there 
we will live together.” 

So they went a long, long way, until 
they came to a rabbit. 

“Where are you going?” asked the 
rabbit of the two. 

“We are going to build us a house,” 
said the sheep and the pig. 

“May I live with you?” asked the 
rabbit. 

“ What can you do to help ? ” asked 
the sheep and the pig. 

The rabbit said: “I can gnaw pegs with 
my sharp teeth; I can put them in with 
my paws.” 


19 


20 


THE SHEEP AND THE PIG 


“Good!” said the sheep and the pig; 
“you may come with us.” 

So the three went on, a long, long 
way farther, until they came to a gray 
goose. 

“Where are you going?” asked the 
gray goose of the three. 

“We are going to build us a house,” 
said the sheep, the pig and the rabbit. 

“May I live with you?” asked the 
gray goose. 

“What can you do to help?” asked 
the sheep, the pig and the rabbit. 

The gray goose said: “ I can pull moss, 
and stuff it in the cracks with my broad 
bill.” 

“Good!” said the sheep, the pig and 
the rabbit; “you may come with us.” 

So the four went on, a long, long way, 
until they came to a barnyard cock. 

“ Where are you going ? ” asked the 
cock of the four. 




They came to a barnyard cock. 














































































































22 


THE SHEEP AND THE PIG 


“We are going to build, us a house,” 
said the sheep, the pig, the rabbit and the 
goose. 

“May I live with you?” asked the 
barnyard cock. 

“ What can you do to help ? ” asked 
the sheep, the pig, the rabbit and the 
goose. 

The cock said: “I can crow very 
early in the morning; I can awaken you 
all.” 

“Good!” said the sheep, the pig, the 
rabbit and the goose; “you may come 
with us.” 

So the five went on, a long, long way 
until they found a good place for a house. 

Then the sheep hewed logs and drew 
them. 

The pig made bricks for the cellar. 

The rabbit gnawed pegs with his 
sharp teeth, and hammered them in with 
his paws. 


THE SHEEP AND THE PIG 


23 


The goose pulled moss, and stuffed it 
in the cracks with her bill. 

The cock crowed early every morning 
to tell them that it was time to rise. 

And they all lived happily together in 
their little house. 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. 

There were once three little pigs who 
started out in the world to seek what 
they could find. The first little pig met 
a man with a bundle of straw. 

“Please, sir, give me that straw that 
I may build me a house,” said the first 
little pig. 

The man gave him the straw, and the 
little pig built him a house of it. Then 
along came an old wolf. He knocked at 
the door and he said: 

‘Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” 
But the little pig called out: 

“No, no, by the hair of my chinny- 
chin-chin.” 

Then the old wolf said: “ I’ll huff and 
I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.” 

So he huffed and he puffed, and he 
blew down the house of straw, and he 
ate up the little pig. 


24 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


25 


The second little pig who went out 
in the world met a man with a bundle 
of twigs. 

“Please, sir, give me those twigs that 
I may build me a house,” said the second 
little pig. 

The man gave him the twigs, and the 
little pig built him a house of them. 

Then along came the old wolf, and he 
knocked at the door and said: “Little 
pig, little pig, let me come in.” 

But the little pig called out, “No, no, 
by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.” 

Then the old wolf said: “I’ll huff and 
I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.” 

So he huffed and he puffed, and he 
blew down the house of twigs, and he 
ate up the little pig. 

The third little pig who went out in 
the world met a man with a wheelbarrow 
full of bricks. 

“Please, sir, give me those bricks that 


26 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


I may build me a house,” said the third 
little pig. 

The man gave him the bricks, and the 
little pig built him a house of them. 

Then along came the old wolf. He 
knocked at the door, and he said: “Little 
pig, little pig, let me come in.” 

But the little pig answered: “No, no, 
by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.” 

Then the old wolf said: “ I’ll huff and 
I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.” 

So the old wolf huffed and he puffed, 
and he huffed and he puffed, and he 
huffed and he puffed again; but he could 
not blow the house down. 

The house had been built of bricks. 

When the old wolf found that he 
could not blow down the house, he said: 
“Little pig, do you like turnips? I can 
get you some.” 

“Where?” asked the little pig. 

“In Mr. Smith’s home-field,” said the 



“ Little Pig, Little Pig, let me come in.” 



















































































































































































































































































































































































































28 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


wolf. “At six o’clock we will go there 
together and fetch home some turnips for 
dinner.” 

“Very well,” said the little pig. 

But the little pig went to the turnip 
field at five and got the turnips before 
the old wolf came at six. “ Little pig,” 
said the wolf, “are you ready?” 

But the little pig said: “Ready? I 
have been, and come back again. I have 
a pot of turnips cooking over the fire.” 

Then the old wolf thought of another 
plan. He said to the little pig: “Little 
pig, do you like apples? I can show 
you a nice apple tree.” 

“Where?” asked the pig. 

“ Down at Merry-Garden,” said the 
old wolf. “At five o’clock to-morrow we 
will go there and get a basket of apples.” 

The little pig went to Merry-Garden 
at four o’clock the next morning. 

He was just coming back with a 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


29 


peck of apples, when he saw the wolf 
in the road ahead of him. 

The wolf called out to him: “ Little 
pig, little pig, did you get to Merry- 
Garden first? What kind of apples are 
they?” 

“Very sweet,” said the little pig. “I 
will throw you one.” 

Then the little pig threw an apple 
to the wolf, and he threw it so far that 
the wolf had to run a long way to 
catch it, and the little pig got past him 
and safe home. 

The next day the old wolf came 
again and he said to the little pig: 
“Little pig, shall we go to the fair this 
afternoon ? ” 

“Oh, yes,” said the little pig. “What 
time would you like to start?” 

“At one o’clock,” said the wolf. 

The little pig went to the fair at 
twelve o’clock, and he bought a churn 


30 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


for making butter. He was on his way 
home with it when he saw the wolf in 
the road just ahead of him. 

“What shall I do?” he thought. Then 
he got into his butter churn to hide. 

He turned it around, and around. 

It went rolling, rolling down the hill. 

This surprised the wolf so much that 
he went under a bush to hide. 

The churn rolled on and on. The 
wolf looked out to see where it would 
stop. 

Still the churn rolled on and on. 

When it came to the little pig’s 
house, out jumped the little pig and 
went inside and locked the door. 

Then the wolf was in a great rage. 
He thought he would eat the little 
Pig- 

He ran down the hill and climbed 
on the roof. As he climbed down the 
chimney, the little pig heard him. 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


31 


The little pig lighted his fire and 
hung his dinner-pot over it. 

When the wolf dropped down the 
chimney the pig took off the cover of 
his pot. 

That was the last of the old wolf, 
for the little pig ate him for supper. 


THE CAT AND THE MOUSE. 


The cat and the mouse 
Played in the malt-house. 

The cat bit the mouse’s tail off. 

“Pray, Puss, give me my tail again.” 

“No,” said the cat, “I will not give 
you your tail again till you go to the 
Cow and fetch me some milk.” 

First she leaped, 

And then she ran, 

Till she came to the Cow, 

And thus began: 

“Pray, Cow, give me some milk that 
I may give to the Cat, so she may give 
me my tail again.” 

“No,” said the Cow, “I will give you 
no milk till you go to the Farmer and 
get me some hay.” 


32 



“ Pray, Farmer, give me some hay.” 




























































































































































































































































34 


THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 


First she leaped, 

And then she ran, 

Till she came to the Farmer, 

And thus began: 

“ Pray, Farmer, give me some hay 
that I may give to the Cow, so she may 
give me some milk that I may give to 
the Cat, so she may give me my tail 
again.” 

“No,” said the Farmer, “I will give 
you no hay till you go to the Butcher 
and fetch me some meat.” 

First she leaped, 

And then she ran, 

Till she came to the Butcher, 

And thus began: 

“ Pray, Butcher, give me some meat 
that I may give to the Farmer, so he 


THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 


35 


may give me some hay that I may give 
to the Cow, so she may give me some 
milk that I may give to the Oat, so she 
may give me my tail again.” 

“No,” said the Butcher, “I will give 
you no meat till you go to the Baker 
and fetch me some bread.” 


First she leaped, 

And then she ran, 

Till she came to the Baker, 
And thus began: 


“ Pray, Baker, give me some bread 
that I may give to the Butcher, so that 
he may give me some meat that I may 
give to the Farmer, so that he may give 
me some hay that I may give to the 
Cow, so that she may give me some 
milk that I may give to the Cat, so she 
may give me my tail again.” 


36 


THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 


“Well,” said the Baker, 

I will give you some bread, 
But don’t eat my meal, 

Or I’ll cut off your head.” 


The Baker gave the mouse bread, 
which she brought to the Butcher. 

The Butcher gave the mouse meat, 
which she brought to the Farmer. 

The Farmer gave the mouse hay, 
which she brought to the Cow. 

The Cow gave the mouse milk, which 
she brought to the Cat. 

And the Cat gave the mouse her tail 
again. 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX. 

A Fox was digging behind a stump, 
and he found a bumblebee. 

The fox put the bumblebee in a 
bag and he traveled. 

The first house he came to he went 
in, and he said to the mistress of the 
house: 

“May I leave my bag here while I 
go to Squintum’s?” 

“Yes,” said the woman. 

“ Then be careful not to open the 
bag,” said the fox. 

But as soon as the fox was out of 
sight, the woman just took a little peep 
in the bag and out flew the bumblebee. 

The rooster caught him and ate 
him up. 

After a while the fox came back. 

He took up his bag and he saw 
that his bumblebee was gone. 


37 


38 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


He said to the woman: “ Where is 
my bumblebee ? ” 

And the woman said: “ I untied the 
bag, and the bumblebee flew out, and 
the rooster ate him up.” 

“Very well,” said the fox, “I must 
have the rooster, then.” 

So he caught the rooster and put 
him in his bag, and traveled. 

And the next house he came to he 
went in, and he said to the mistress of 
the house: 

“May I leave my bag here while I 
go to Squintum’s ? ” 

“Yes,” said the woman. 

“Then be careful not to open the 
bag,” said the fox. 

But as soon as the fox was out of 
sight, the woman just took a little peep 
into the bag, and the rooster flew out, 
and the pig caught him and ate him 
up. 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


39 


After a while the fox came back. 

He took up his bag and he saw 
that the rooster was not in it. 

He said to the woman: “ Where is 
my rooster ? ” 

And the woman said: “ I untied the 
bag and the rooster flew out, and the 
pig ate him.” 

“Very well,” said the fox, “I must 
have the pig then.” 

So he caught the pig and put him in 
his bag, and traveled. 

An ri the next house he came to he 
went in, and he said to the mistress of 
the house: 

“May I leave my bag here while I 
go to Squintum’s ? ” 

“Yes,” said the woman. 

“Then be careful not to open the 
bag,” said the fox. 

But as soon as the fox was out of 
sight, the woman took a little peep into 



The woman took a little peep in the bag. 





































































































































































































THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


41 


the bag and the pig jumped out, and 
the ox ate him. 

After a while the fox came back. 

He took up his bag and he saw 
that the pig was gone. 

He said to the woman: “ Where is 
my pig?” 

And the woman said: “ I just untied 
the bag and the pig jumped out, and 
the ox ate him.” 

“Very well,” said the fox, “I must 
have the ox then.” 

So he caught the ox and put him 
in his bag, and traveled. 

And the next house he came to he 
went in, and he said to the mistress of 
the house: 

“May I leave my bag here while I 
go to Squintum’s?” 

“Yes,” said the woman. 

“ Then be careful not to open the 
bag,” said the fox. 


42 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


But as soon as the fox was out of 
sight, the woman just took a little peep 
in the bag, and the ox got out, and the 
woman’s little boy chased him away off 
over the field. 

After a while the fox came back. 

He took up his bag and he saw 
that his ox was gone. 

He said to the woman: “Where is 
my ox?” 

And the woman said: “ I untied the 
string and the ox got out, and my little 
boy chased him away off over the fields.” 

“Very well,” said the fox, “I must 
have the little boy then.” 

So he caught the little boy and put 
him in his bag, and traveled. 

And the next house he came to he 
went in, and he said to the mistress of 
the house: 

“May I leave my bag here while I 
go to Squintum’s?” 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


43 


“Yes,” said the woman. 

“ Then be careful not to open the 
bag,” said the fox. 

The woman was making cake, and 
her children were asking for some. 

“Oh, mother, give me a piece,” said 
one. “Oh, mother, give me a piece,” said 
the others. 

And the smell of the cake came to 
the little boy who was crying in the 
bag. He heard the children asking for 
cake, and he said: “Oh, mammy, give 
me a piece.” 

Then the woman opened the bag 
and took the little boy out, and she 
put the house dog in the bag in the 
little boy’s place. 

An d the little boy stopped crying 
and had some cake with the others. 

After a while the fox came back. 

He took up his bag and he saw 
that it was tied fast, so he put it over 


44 


THE TRAVELS OF A FOX 


his back and traveled far into the deep 
woods. 

Then he sat down and untied the 
bag. 

If the little boy had been there in 
the bag things would have gone badly 
with him. 

But the little boy was safe at the 
woman’s house, and when the fox untied 
the bag the house dog jumped out and 
ate him up. 


THE ALARM CLOCK THAT 
WAS ALIVE. 


There was a man, and he had a 
little rooster who had just learned to 
crow. 

And when it came night the man 
said: “Now I will go to bed and have 
a good sleep.” 

And he went to bed and slept. And 
very early in the morning the little 
rooster came around to the front of 
the house. 

He flapped his wings and crowed: 
“ Kookeroo! ” 

An d the man woke up and said to 
his wife: “What’s that you said?” 

An d she woke up and said: “I did 
not speak. It must have been the little 
rooster crowing; but now you have 
waked me up.” 

So the man threw his hair brush 


45 


46 THE ALARM CLOCK THAT WAS ALIVE 

out of the window at the little rooster, 
and the little rooster ran away. 

Then the man said: “Well, as long 
as I am up I will plant my garden.” 
And he planted his garden. 

But that night he shut the little 
rooster in the hen house and said: 
“Now I will have a long sleep.” 

And he went to bed and slept. 
But very early in the morning the 
little rooster flew over the hen yard 
fence. 

He ran around to the front of the 
house, and flapped his wings, and crowed: 
“ Kookeroo! ” 

And the man woke up and said to 
his wife: “ What’s that you said ? ” 

And she woke up and said: “ I did 
not speak. It must have been the little 
rooster crowing; but now you have 
waked me up.” 

So the man threw his comb at 



He flapped his wings, and crowed: “Kookeroo! 









































































































































































































































































48 THE ALARM CLOCK THAT WAS ALIVE 

the little rooster, but the little rooster 
already had a comb, and he ran away. 

Then the man said: “Well, as long 
as I am up I will weed my garden.” 

That night the man shut the little 
rooster in the hen house and tied him 
to the fence with a string. 

Then he said: “Now I will have a 
long sleep.” 

And he went to bed and slept. But 
very early in the morning the little 
rooster bit the string in two, and flew 
over the hen yard fence. 

He ran around to the front of the 
house and crowed: “ Kookeroo ! ” 

And the man woke up and said to 
his wife: “ What was that you said ? ” 

And she woke up and said: “I did 
not speak. It must have been the little 
rooster crowing; but now you have 
waked me up for the day.” 

So the man ran out and caught the 


THE ALARM CLOCK THAT WAS ALIVE 49 


little rooster, and they had him for 
dinner. 

That night the man went to sleep 
and he slept long and sound, for there 
was no little rooster to awaken him. 
And his wife slept as long as he, and 
dreamed pleasant dreams. 

But the weeds grew in the garden 
and choked it. 


THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG. 


An old woman was sweeping her 
house and she found a little crooked 
sixpence. 

“What,” said she, “shall I do with 
this sixpence ? I will go to the market 
and buy a little pig.” 

As she was coming home she came 
to a stile; the piggy would not go 
over the stile. 

She went a little farther, and she 
met a dog. So she said to the dog: 

“Dog, dog, bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 


But the dog would not. 

She went on a little farther, and she 
met a stick. So she said: 


50 



“ Dog, Dog, bite pig.” 






















































































































































52 


THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG 


“Stick, stick, beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the stick would not. 

She went a little farther, and she 
came to a fire. So she said: 

“Fire, fire, burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

An d I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the fire would not. 

She went a little farther, and she 
came to some water. So she said: 

Water, water, quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 


THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG 


53 


Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the water would not. 

So she went a little farther, and she 
met an ox. So she said: 

“Ox, ox, drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the ox would not. 

The old woman went a little farther, 
and she met a butcher. So she said: 

“Butcher, butcher, kill ox; 

Ox won’t drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 


54 


THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG 


Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the butcher would not. 

She went on a little farther, and she 
met a rope. So she said: 

“Rope, rope, tie butcher; 

Butcher won’t kill ox; 

Ox won’t drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

But the rope would not. 

She went a little farther, and she 
met a rat. So she said: 


THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG 


55 


“ Rat, rat, gnaw rope; 

Rope won’t tie butcher; 

Butcher won’t kill ox; 

Ox won’t drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile; 

And I shall not get home to-night.” 

“I will,” said the rat. 

So the rat began to gnaw the rope. 
The rope began to tie the butcher. 
The butcher began to kill the ox. 

The ox began to drink the water. 

The water began to quench the fire. 
The fire began to burn the stick. 

The stick began to beat the dog. 

The dog began to bite the pig. 

The piggy jumped over the stile. 

And the old woman really did get 
home that night. 


THE LITTLE RED HEN. 


Once upon a time, in a wee little 
house, there lived a frog, a cat and a 
little red hen. 

The frog was such a lazy frog he 
would do no work. 

The cat was such a lazy cat she 
would do no work; so the little red hen 
had to do it all herself. 

One morning she said: “ Who will 
build the fire ? ” 

“Not I,” said the frog. 

“Not I,” said the cat. 

“I will,” said the little red hen, and 
she built a bright fire. 

“Who will make a cake for breakfast?” 
said the little red hen. 

“Not I,” said the frog. 

“Not I,” said the cat. 

“I will,” said the little red hen, and 
she made a cake for breakfast. When 


56 


THE LITTLE RED HEN 


57 


the cake was cooking by the fire the 
little red hen said: “ Who will lay the 
table for breakfast ? ” 

“Not I,” said the frog. 

“Not I,” said the cat. 

“I will,” said the little red hen, and 
she laid the table. 

She tried the cake with a broom 
straw, and took it from the fire. She 
put it on a warm plate, and started to 
carry it to the table. 

The lazy frog was waiting for his 
breakfast. 

The lazy cat was ready for her 
breakfast. 

Then the little red hen said: “ Who 
will eat this cake ? ” 

“I will,” said the frog. 

“I will,” said the cat. 

“You are not going to have a bit,” 
said the little red hen, and out the door 
she flew with the cake under her wing. 



Out she flew with the cake under her wing 









































































































































































































THE LITTLE RED HEN 


59 


Down the road she flew until at last 
she came to a sunny pasture on a side 
hill. 

“Here,” she said, “I will eat my 
cake.” 

Away over the hills that morning Papa 
Fox was awake. All his family were 
awake, too, teasing for their breakfast. 

There was nothing in the little 
brown pantry for Mamma Fox or the 
baby foxes. 

So Papa Fox started out to find 
something for them all. 

On down the road he ran until he 
found a cool, dark forest on a side bill 
close to a sunny pasture. 

“ Surely I will find something here,” 
he said, but he found no partridge or 
rabbit in the woods. 

As he came to the pasture he said: 
“ Oh, I smell fresh cake! ” And then: 
“ Oh, I smell a little red hen! ” 


60 


THE LITTLE RED HEN 


And there was the little red hen 
eating her cake. 

Softly Papa Fox stole up behind her. 
He grabbed her, and put her into the 
bag on his back. 

Quickly Papa Fox ran off down the 

hill. 

Then the little red hen was so 
frightened she could only whisper: “Oh, 
dear! Oh, dear! ” 

Just then she thought she should 
sneeze. She put her claw in her pocket 
for her handkerchief. In pulling it out 
she dropped her scissors right in her lap. 

As fast as she could she cut a little 
peek hole in the bag. Peeking out she 
saw a great hill just ahead, all covered 
with stones. 

As Papa Fox went slowly up the 
hill she cut a big hole in the bag. 

Out she jumped, and quickly put a 
big stone in the bag. 


THE LITTLE RED HEN 


61 


Straight up the hill went Papa Fox, 
and he thought the bag was heavy. He 
said: “She is a fat little red hen.” 

Mamma Fox met him at the front 
door. “ Come in and put our breakfast 
in the kettle,” she said, “the water is 
boiling.” 

So into the kettle Papa Fox emptied 
his bag. 

Down into the water fell a great 
stone, splashing the water all over the 
kitchen. 

If Papa Fox had not jumped he 
would have been burned. 

Then Papa Fox said: “What is that? 
and he went back and peeped in the 
kettle. Oh, how they laughed! 

“ I am glad the little red hen got 
away,” said Papa Fox, as he brought in 
some turnips for breakfast. 

After the little red hen was out of 
the bag she kept very quiet until the 


62 


THE LITTLE RED HEN 


fox was over the hill. Then she ran, and 
she flew, as fast as she could go. 

It was night before she reached 
home. 

As she flew into the garden she 
heard a deep voice say: “Oh, I wish the 
little red hen would come back,” and 
that was the frog. 

Then she heard a soft voice say: 
“ Oh, I wish the little red hen would 
come back,” and that was the cat. 

“Here I am!” said the little red hen. 

“I won’t be lazy any more,” said the 
frog, as he rubbed against her little 
yellow leg. 

“I won’t be lazy any more,” said the 
cat, as she rubbed against the little red 
hen’s wing. 

And so the frog, the cat and the 
little red hen all worked together in 
the wee little house. 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY. 


There was once a little old woman 
and a little old man, who lived in a 
little old house in the woods. 

They would have been happy but 
for one thing. They wanted a little boy, 
and they had none. 

One morning when the little old 
woman was making gingerbread, she cut 
a cake in the shape of a little boy. 

She dropped it into the pan, and 
put the pan in the oven. Then she 
opened the oven door to see if it were 
baked, but out jumped the gingerbread 
boy. 

Away he ran as fast as his legs 
could carry him. 

The little old woman called her 
husband. 

They both ran after him, but they 
could not catch him. And the gingerbread 


63 


64 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 


boy ran on until he came to a barn full 
of threshers. 

As he went by the door he called 
to the threshers: 

“ I’ve run away from a little old woman, 
A little old man, 

A little old kettle, 

A little old pan, 

And I can run away from you, I can.” 

Then the threshers set out to run 
after him. They ran very fast, but they 
could not catch him. 

And the gingerbread boy hurried on 
until he came to a field full of mowers. 
He called out to the mowers: 

“I’ve run away from a little old woman, 
A little old man, 

A little old kettle, 

A little old pan, 

A barn full of threshers, 

And I can run away from you, I can.” 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 


65 


Then the mowers set out to run 
after him, but they could, not catch him. 

And the gingerbread boy ran on and 
on, until he came to a cow. 

He called out to the cow: 

“I’ve run away from a little old woman, 
A little old man, 

A little old kettle, 

A little old pan, 

A barn full of threshers, 

A field full of mowers, 

And I can run away from you, I can.” 

So the cow ran, but she could not 
catch the gingerbread boy, who ran on 
and on, until he met a fox. 

He called out to the fox: 

“I’ve run away from a little old woman, 
A little old man, 

A little old kettle, 

A little old pan, 

A barn full of threshers, 



“ I’ve run away from a little old woman.” 






































































































THE GINGERBREAD BOY 


67 


A field full of mowers, 

A cow, 

And I can run away from you, I can.” 

A fox can run very fast. On and 
on ran the fox after the gingerbread 
boy until they came to a river. The fox 
was close behind. 

“If you would like to go across,” 
said the fox, “jump on my tail.” 

So the gingerbread boy jumped up 
on the fox’s tail, and the fox began 
swimming across the river. 

But he had gone only a short way 
when he called back to the gingerbread 
boy: “The water is deep, and we may 
drown! Jump on my back!” 

So the gingerbread boy jumped on 
the fox’s back. 

The fox swam a little farther, and 
then called out: “The water grows deeper 
still. Jump on my nose!” 


68 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 


So the gingerbread boy jumped on 
the fox’s nose. 

Just then they reached the other 
bank. The fox opened his mouth wide, 
and in went the gingerbread boy! 

“ Dear me! ” the gingerbread boy said, 
after a minute. “Here I am a quarter 
gone.” 

An d then he said: “Now, I’m half 
gone!” 

And then he said: “I am three- 
quarters gone!” 

But at last he said: “Oh, dear; I 
am all gone!” 

And he never spoke again. 


THE THREE BEARS. 


Once upon a time there were three 
bears who lived in a house of their own 
in a wood. 

There was a small, wee bear. There 
was a middle-sized bear, and there was 
a great, huge bear. 

They each had a pot for their porridge. 

There was a little pot for the small, 
wee bear; a middle-sized pot for the 
middle-sized bear; and a great pot for 
the great, huge bear. 

And they each had a chair. 

There was a little chair for the small, 
wee bear; a middle-sized chair for the 
middle-sized bear; and a great chair for 
the great, huge bear. 

And they each had a bed to sleep 
in. 

There was a little bed for the small, 
wee bear; a middle-sized bed for the 

69 


70 


THE THREE BEARS 


middle-sized bear; and a great bed for 
the great, huge bear. 

One morning the three bears left their 
breakfast porridge cooling in their porridge 
pots. 

They walked out into the woods, that 
they mig ht not burn their mouths by 
eating it too soon. And while they were 
walking, along came a little old woman 
to the house. 

First she looked in the window. Then 
she peeped in the keyhole. And then, 
seeing no one inside, she lifted the latch. 

The door was not fastened, for the 
bears thought every one in the world 
was as honest as they were. 

So the little old woman opened the 
door and went in. She was pleased to 
see the porridge on the table. 

If she had been a polite, honest little 
old woman she would have waited and 
asked the bears before she tasted. 


THE THREE BEARS 


71 


She was not polite, and she helped 
herself. 

First she tasted the porridge of the 
great, huge bear, and that was too hot 
for her. 

Then she tasted the porridge of the 
middle-sized bear, and that was too cold 
for her. 

And then she tasted the porridge of 
the small, wee bear. 

It was neither too hot nor too cold, 
and she ate it all up. 

Then the little old woman went 
poking about the house to see what 
there was in it, and she came upon the 
three chairs. 

So she sat down in the chair of the 
great, huge bear, and that was too hard 
for her. 

Then she sat down in the chair of 
the middle-sized bear, and that was too 
soft for her. 


72 


THE THREE BEARS 


Then she sat down in the chair of 
the small, wee bear. It was neither too 
hard nor too soft, and there she sat until 
the bottom of the chair came right out. 
Plump she fell upon the ground. 

Then the little old woman went up 
the stairs to the bears’ bed chamber. 

First she lay down upon the bed of 
the great, huge bear, but that was too 
high at the head for her. 

Next she lay down upon the bed of 
the middle-sized bear, but that was too 
low at the foot for her. 

And last she lay down upon the bed 
of the small, wee bear, which was neither 
too high at the head nor too low at the 
foot. 

So she pulled the covers over her 
head and went fast asleep. 

By this time the three bears came 
home to their breakfast. 

Now the little old woman had left the 


THE THREE BEARS 


73 


spoon of the great, huge bear standing 
in the porridge. 

“SOMEBODY HAS BEEN EATING 
MY PORRIDGE,” said the great, huge 
bear in his great, huge voice. 

Then the middle-sized bear looked at 
his bowl. 

“Somebody has been eating my porridge,” 
said the middle-sized bear in his middle- 
sized voice. 

Then the small, wee bear looked at 
his bowl, which was quite empty, and he 
said, in his small, wee voice: 

“ Somebody has been eating my porridge, and has 
eaten it all up.” 

Then the three bears, seeing that 
some one had eaten all the porridge 
of the small, wee bear, began to look 
about the house. 

Now the little old woman had left 
the hard cushion crooked in the chair 
of the great, huge bear. 


74 


THE THREE BEARS 


“SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING 
IN MY CHAIR,” said the great, huge 
bear in his great, huge voice. 

Now the little old woman had squatted 
down the cushion of the middle-sized 
bear. 

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair,” 
said he in his middle-sized voice. 

And you know what the little old 
woman had done to the third chair! 

“ Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and 
has sat the bottom out of it,” Said the Small, 

wee bear in his small, wee voice. 

Then the three bears went up stairs 
to their bed chamber. 

Now the little old woman had 
crumpled the pillow of the great, huge 
bear. 

“SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN 
MY BED,” said the great, huge bear in 
his great, huge voice. 

And the little old woman had pulled 



Through the woods she ran as fast as the wind. 









































































































































76 


THE THREE BEARS 


the bolster of the middle-sized bear quite 
crooked. 

“Somebody has been lying in my bed,” 
said he in his middle-sized voice. 

And when the small, wee bear came 
to look at his bed, there was the pillow 
smooth and the bolster straight, but in 
the bed was the little old woman. 

“ Somebody has been lying in my bed, and here 

she is,” said the small, wee bear in his 
small, wee voice. 

When the little old woman heard the 
shrill voice of the small, wee bear she 
awoke at once. 

Up she jumped, and when she saw 
the three bears looking at her from one 
side of the bed out she tumbled at the 
other side, and she ran to the window. 

Now the three bears were good, tidy 
bears, and always opened the window of 
their bed chamber when they got up in 
the morning. 


THE THREE BEARS 


77 


The little old woman jumped out. 
And off through the woods she ran as 
fast as the wind. 

The bears never found her, but they 
hoped she changed to a polite little old 
woman who never went into strange 
houses. 


THE ANXIOUS LEAF. 


Once upon a time a little leaf was 
heard to sigh and cry. Leaves often cry 
when the wind is about. And the twig 
said: “What is the matter, little leaf?” 

And the little leaf said: “The wind 
just told me that one day it will pull 
me off. It will throw me to die on the 
ground!” 

The twig told it to the branch on 
which it grew. The branch told it to 
the tree. And when the tree heard it, it 
rustled all over, and sent back word to 
the leaf: “ Do not be afraid; hold on 
tightly. You shall not go until you 
want to.” 

And so the leaf stopped crying, and 
went on nestling and singing. 

Every time the tree shook itself, the 
branches shook themselves. Then the 
little twig shook itself. And the little 


78 


THE ANXIOUS LEAF 


79 


leaf danced up and down merrily, as if 
nothing could ever pull it off. 

So it grew all summer long until 
October. 

And when the bright days of autumn 
came the little leaf saw all the other 
leaves around it growing very beautiful. 
Some were yellow. Some were red. Some 
were both yellow and red. 

Then the little leaf asked the tree 
what it meant. And the tree said: “All 
the leaves are getting ready to fly away. 
They are putting on these beautiful colors 
because of joy.” 

Then the little leaf began to want 
to go, and it grew very beautiful in 
thinking of it. When it was very gay 
in color it saw that the branches of the 
tree had no color at all. 

So the little leaf said: “ Oh, branches, 
why have you no color when we are 
yellow and red?” 


80 


THE ANXIOUS LEAF 


And the branches said: “We must 
keep on our work clothes, for our work 
is not done. Your new clothes are for 
holiday, for your tasks are over.” 

Just then a little puff of wind came. 
The little leaf let go without thinking, 
and the wind took it up. 

It whirled it over and over. It tossed 
it like a spark of fire in the air. Then it 
fell gently down under the edge of the 
fence among hundreds of other leaves. 

And it fell into a dream, and never 
waked up to tell what it dreamed about. 


THE STONE BABY. 


The stone baby was lonely. 

The builder had carved the stone 
baby. He had placed the stone baby 
high up on the side of a great building. 

For years and years he had looked 
out from a little round window there. 
He had looked out over the city and 
had seen the homes of other little 
ones. 

He said to himself: “ When it was 
summer I could see the children at their 
windows and in the street. Now they 
keep well inside. From here I cannot see 
the big boys and the girls skate and 
coast, even. 

“I wish that I could see the green 
grass in the square, and the boys sailing 
boats on the pond. 

“ Dear me, it is snowing. I don’t 
mind a cold nose and snow in my hair. 


81 


82 


THE STONE BABY 


But I can’t see even the children’s houses 
if the snow gets very thick.” 

Just then there was a “chirp, chirp,” 
in the air. Something flew right under 
the stone baby’s chin. It was a little 

sparrow coming for shelter from the 
storm. “Chirp, chirp,” it sang. 

Then another sparrow came, and 
another. 

“Thank you, baby, for a little shelter 
from the storm,” the sparrows said. 

“Oh, you are very welcome,” said the 
stone child. 

The sparrows nestled closer and 
closer to the stone baby. They made 

him warm and happy. 

“Is it not pleasant to be of some 

use in the world ? ” said the stone baby. 

“The sparrows would not do this for a 
real, walking and running child.” 


THE .LITTLE PINE TREE WHO 
WISHED FOR NEW LEAVES. 

Out in the woods there grew a little 
pine tree. Its leaves were long, green 
needles. 

The little tree did not like its needles. 

“I wish that I had beautiful leaves,” 
it thought. “I wish that I might have 
leaves different from any of the other 
trees. If I could have my wish, 1 would 
have leaves of shining gold.” 

After a while it was night, and the 
little tree went to sleep. The Ang el of 
the trees walked through the woods. 

In the morning the little tree had 
leaves of shining gold. 

“How very beautiful I am!” it thought. 
“How my leaves sparkle in the sun! Now 
I shall always be happy! ” 

Foolish little pine tree! It was not 
happy long. 


83 



In the night a man came to the woods with a bag. 





































































































































































































































































































THE LITTLE PINE TREE 


85 


In the night a man came to the 
woods with a bag. He picked off all the 
gold leaves, and took them home with 
him. Then the poor little tree had no 
leaves. 

“ What shall I do ? ” it cried. “ I will 
not wish for gold leaves again. How 
pretty glass leaves would look! They 
would sparkle in the sun, and the man 
would not take them. I wish that I could 
have leaves of glass.” 

That night the Angel of the trees 
walked through the woods again. 

In the morning, when the sun peeped 
over the hill, it looked at the little pine 
tree. All the other trees looked at it, 
too. 

How beautiful it was! It had glass 
leaves now, and they sparkled in the 
bright sunshine. 

The little pine tree was happy all the 
morning. But in the afternoon black 


86 


THE LITTLE PINE TREE 


clouds hid the sun, and the rain came 
down. 

The tree shivered in the wind. 

When the shower was over there 
were no glass leaves. The wind had 
broken every one. They lay on the 
ground under the bare branches. 

“I will not wish again to be better 
than my neighbors,” cried the little pine 
tree. “ If I had big green leaves like 
other trees I should be happy.” 

Then the tree went to sleep, and once 
more the Angel of the trees walked 
through the woods. 

When it was morning the pine tree 
looked just like the other trees. It had 
large green leaves. 

But the leaves looked so good and 
juicy that an old goat who came along 
ate every one for his dinner. 

“Oh!” cried the little tree. “A man 
took my leaves of gold. The wind broke 


THE LITTLE PINE TREE 


87 


my leaves of glass. A goat ate my large 
green leaves. I wish that I had my long, 
green needles again! ” 

The Angel of the trees heard all that 
the little pine tree said. 

The next day the birds flew to the 
little pine tree, and they were happy to 
see that it was covered again with long, 
green needles. 

“Now we may build our nests here,” 
they said. 

“Yes,” said the tree, “I will hide your 
nests with my needles, and in the winter 
I will keep you safe and warm.” 

Gold leaves, glass leaves, and large 
green leaves are very fine; but nothing 
is so good for a little pine tree as its 
own long needles. 


HOW THE FIR TREE BECAME 
THE CHRISTMAS TREE. 

This is the story of how the fir tree 
became the Christmas tree. 

At the time when the Christ Child 
was born all the people, the animals, and 
the trees and plants were very happy. 

The Child was born to bring peace 
and happiness to the whole world. People 
came daily to see the little One. They 
always brought gifts with them. 

There were three trees standing near 
the stable where the Child lay. They 
saw the people. They wished that they, 
too, might give presents to the Christ 
Child. 

The Palm said: “I will give my most 
beautiful leaf, and place it as a fan over 
the Child.” 

“And I,” said the Olive, “will sprinkle 
sweet smelling oil upon His Head.” 


88 


THE FIR TREE 


89 


“ What can I give to the Child ? ” 
asked the Fir, who stood near. 

The other trees cried: “You have 
nothing to offer Him. Your needles would 
prick Him, and your tears are sticky.” 

So the poor little Fir tree was very 
unhappy. It said: “Yes, you are right. I 
have nothing to offer the Christ Child.” 

Near the trees stood the Christmas 
Angel, who had heard all that the trees 
had said. 

The Angel was sorry for the Fir tree 
who was so lowly and without envy of 
the other trees. 

When it was dark, and the stars came 
out, he begged a few of the little stars 
to come down and rest upon the branches 
of the Fir tree. 

They did as the Christmas Angel 
asked. The Fir tree shone with a beautiful 
light. 

At that moment the Christ Child 


90 


THE FIR TREE 


opened His eyes. He had been asleep. 
As the lovely light from the tree fell 
upon Him He smiled. 

Every year people keep the dear 
Christ Child’s birthday by giving gifts to 
each other. 

Every year, in remembrance of His 
first birthday, the Christmas Angel places 
in every house a fir tree. 

Covered with starry candles it shines 
for the children as the stars shone for 
the Christ Child. 

The Fir tree is our Christmas tree. 


THE SNOWDROP. 


The snow lay deep, for it was winter 
time. 

The winter winds blew cold, but there 
was one house where all was snug and 
warm. And in the house lay a little 
flower. In its bulb it lay, under the earth 
and the snow. 

One day the rain fell. It trickled 
through the ice and snow down into the 
ground. 

Then a sunbeam, pointed and slender, 
went down through the ground and tapped 
on the bulb. 

“Come in,” said the flower. 

“I can’t do that,” said the sunbeam; 
“I am not strong enough to lift the latch. 
I shall be stronger when the spring time 
comes.” 

“When will it be spring?” asked 
the flower of every little sunbeam that 


91 


92 


THE SNOWDROP 


tapped on its door. But for a long time 
it was winter. 

The ground was still covered with 
snow, and every night there was ice in 
the water. The flower grew quite tired of 
waiting. 

“ How long it is! ” it said. “ I feel 
quite cramped. I must stretch myself and 
rise up a little. I must lift the latch and 
look out, and say good morning to the 
spring.” 

So the flower pushed and pushed. 
The walls were softened by the rain and 
warmed by the little sunbeams. So the 
flower shot up from under the snow. 

There was a pale green bud on its 
stalk and some long, narrow leaves on 
either side. It was biting cold. 

“You are a little too early,” said the 
wind and the weather, but every sunbeam 
sang “Welcome.” 

So the flower raised its head from the 


THE SNOWDROP 


93 


snow. It unfolded, pure and white, and 
with green stripes. 

It was weather to freeze it to pieces, 
but it was stronger than any one knew. 

It stood in its white dress in the white 
snow. 

It bowed its head when the snowflakes 
fell, and raised it again to smile at the 
sunbeams. 

And every day it grew sweeter. 

“Oh,” shouted the children, as they 
ran into the garden, “ see the snowdrop! 
There it stands, so pretty, so beautiful— 
the first, the only one! ” 


THE GOURD AND THE PINE. 


Once there was a very tall, old pine 
tree. It had been growing slowly and 
carefully for many years. It was the 
oldest tree in the forest. It raised its 
head high above the others toward the 
sky. 

One spring day the wind brought a 
little seed and dropped it at the roots 
of the pine tree. It was a proud little 
seed. 

It swelled and swelled to see how 
quickly it could burst its hard coat and 
begin to grow. 

It sent out two green fingers, and it 
clung to the bark of the pine tree. It was 
going to be a gourd-vine. 

“I will climb to the top of the tree,” 
said the little gourd-vine. “They shall see 
how quickly I can grow.” 

So the gourd-vine tugged and pulled 

94 


THE GOURD AND THE PINE 


95 


at its roots. They were nearly pulled out 
of the ground. It called down to them: 
“Drink more, drink more. I must grow 
faster.” It held tightly to the pine tree. 
It climbed, and climbed until it was up 
to the top branch. 

“Now, see!” cried the little gourd- 
vine. “ The tree has been growing for 
many years. I began growing only this 
summer. See where I have come! ” 

The old pine tree only rustled its 
leaves and said nothing. 

After a while a great storm came upon 
the forest. A high wind blew through the 
trees. It brought the snowflakes. The 
flowers began to hang their heads. The 
birds flew south. 

The old pine tree did not mind the 
cold, for it had seen a great many storms. 
Oh, the poor little gourd-vine! 

The gourd-vine had grown so fast 
that it had not grown carefully and well. 


96 


THE GOURD AND THE PINE 


Its tendrils were weak. Its stalks were 
soft. 

One cold night the frost touched it. 
The gourd-vine fell in a heap on the 
ground. Not even the old pine tree could 
hold it up. 

That was the end of the proud little 
gourd-vine. 


THE LITTLE FIELD MICE. 


It was summer time, and in the field 
were many mice. They were happy. 

Here, where they ran back and forth, 
were ripe peas, and wheat, and corn. 
They bit off the ears, and carried them 
to their holes. They ate without care or 
trouble. 

Then came autumn. The reapers came 
with their scythes. 

One morning the wheat stalks fell, so 
the mice had to run from the cats and 
the birds. They ran into their holes, and 
only came out to fetch a couple of peas 
or an ear of wheat. 

But the grain was taken up, bound 
into sheaves, and carried into the village. 

Food was scarce now in the field. 
Soon, too, came the plough, which broke 
up the ground. It tore up the little mice’s 
holes. 


97 


98 


THE LITTLE FIELD MICE 


The mice said: “ Things are going very 
badly with us; let us move into the carrot 
field.” So they did. 

They liked the carrot field very much. 
The earth was loose, and the carrots 
tasted sweet. But along came the farmer 
to whom the field belonged, and he dug 
up all the carrots. 

“The mice have been at the carrots,” 
he said, as he saw the prints of their teeth. 

Now the poor mice must go still 
further, and they scampered off to a 
potato field. But here, also, the potatoes 
were dug up, and the mice were driven 
away. They sadly took refuge in a clover 
field and dug their holes. 

They intended to stay here all winter, 
but the times grew even worse. 

The fields gave them no food, and 
the little mice were often obliged to run 
about a great deal to find a pair of cherry 
stones, or a hedge plum. 


THE LITTLE FIELD MICE 


99 


At last it grew cold, and heavy rains 
fell. Some of the mice found their holes 
full of water. These were really very bad 
times. 

The little mice hurried off to the cities 
and villages and sought refuge, some in 
a barn, some in a cellar. But still they 
were chased. 

The farmer shut his cat in the bam, 
and the mistress set her trap. 

Poor little mice! 

But at last came spring and sunshine, 
and fresh food filled the fields once more. 

The mice went back, dug new holes, 
and were again glad to be alive. 


THE CROW AND THE FOX. 


One day a Crow found a piece of 
cheese. She took it in her beak. She 
flew to a tree near by with the cheese. 

A Fox had seen the Crow. He wanted 
the cheese, so he walked over to the foot 
of the tree. Looking up, he said: 

“Good day, Mistress Crow, how well 
you are looking to-day. You are so 
beautiful! Your feathers are whiter than 
a dove’s! Is your voice as sweet? Let 
me hear you sing. I think you are the 
queen of the birds.” 

The Crow was happy to be so praised. 
She opened her mouth to show the Fox 
how well she could sing. 

She could not sing. Her voice was 
loud and harsh. 

Down to the ground fell the piece of 
cheese. The sly Fox seized it and ran 
away. 


100 



“ Good day, Mistress Crow,” 



































































































102 


THE CROW AND THE FOX 


“That will do,” said the Fox; “that 
was all I wanted.” 

The Fox had not meant what he said. 
The Crow lost her cheese, and learned 
not to trust flatterers. 


THE TOP AND THE BALL. 


A Top and a Ball lay together in a 
drawer with some other toys. 

The Top said to the Ball: “Why 
should we not be the very best of friends 
and play together, as we are lying here 
in the same drawer ? ” 

But the Ball, who was covered with 
morocco leather, and thought she was 
very fine, would not reply. 

The next day the little boy to whom 
the Top belonged painted it red and 
yellow, and drove a brass nail into the 
head. This looked well when the Top 
spun around. 

“Just look at me,” the Top said to 
the Ball. “Am I not pretty, too ? Let us 
be friends. We should be very happy, 
for you jump and I dance. There would 
be no happier friends than we two.” 

“ Do you think so ? ” said the Ball. 


103 


104 


THE TOP AND THE BALL 


“Perhaps you do not know that I am 
made of morocco, and have a cork in my 
body!” 

“Yes; but I am made of mahogany,” 
said the Top. 

“Is that really so?” asked the Ball. 

“Just as true as that I can spin,” 
said the Top. 

The Ball looked at the happy little 
Top and said: “But I want to be the 
swallow’s playmate. Whenever I fly up 
into the air he calls from the tree top: 
‘Will you, will you?’ and I have said, 
‘yes,’ but I will always remember you, 
Top.” 

“Oh, very well,” said the Top, “but 
you cannot play with the swallow, and 
you can play with me. But do as you 
wish.” 

The next day the Ball was taken out 
of the drawer, and the Top saw her flying 
high in the air. 


THE TOP AND THE BALL 


105 


She seemed almost like a bird. 

Whenever she came back to the earth 
she gave a little jump just as she touched 
the ground. Perhaps that was because 
she wanted to fly again, or because she 
had a cork in her body. 

But one time, when she was sent 
flying in the air, she did not come back. 
Although the little boy hunted and hunted, 
she could not be found. 

The Ball was lost. 

“I know where she is,” thought the 
Top. “ She has gone to the swallow’s 
nest. She has gone to stay with the 
swallow.” 

The Top was very lonely. He thought 
and thought about the Ball. Although he 
spun around and sung his pretty song, 
he was always wanting her. 

Many days and weeks passed by, and 
the Top was growing old. His red and 
yellow paint had worn off. The little boy 


106 


THE TOP AND THE BALL 


did not play with him as much as he 
used to. 

One day the Top was gilded all over. 
He looked like a gold top. The little boy 
thought him more beautiful than ever 
before. 

The Top spun, and sang, and jumped 
about. But all at once he went too high 
and was lost. They searched everywhere, 
but no one could find the gold Top. 

Where had he gone ? 

He had jumped into the dust bin, 
where all sorts of dust and rubbish had 
fallen from the roof. 

“Well, well,” said the Top, “this is 
a queer place! All my gilding svill be 
spoiled, and I cannot even spin down 
here in the dark. The little boy will be 
lonely.” 

Just then he saw something round 
and dirty, like a withered apple. It began 
to talk! 


THE TOP AND THE BALL 


107 


“Oh, dear,” it said, “I have been lying 
here in this dirty place for weeks, with 
no one good enough for me to play with. 
I wanted to live with the swallow, but I 
fell in here. I am very beautiful, for I am 
made of morocco leather, and I have a 
cork in my body.” 

Then the Top knew that it was the 
Ball, lost so long ago. 

Just then came a maid to clear out 
the dust bin. The first thing she saw was 
the Top. She took it to the little boy 
again, and both the Top and the little 
boy were happy. 

But the Ball was thrown away. The 
Top never spoke of the Ball. He thought 
her a silly little Ball after all. 

It is better to think of others, and not 
of yourself. 


THE ANT AND THE DOVE. 


Once upon a time there was an Ant 
who wished a drink. She went down to 
the brook for some water. When she 
went down the bank to drink she reached 
too far over the water. She fell in the 
brook. The running water carried her 
down the brook. 

A Dove that sat on the bank saw the 
Ant. She was sorry for the Ant. She 
pulled a leaf from a tree and dropped it 
in the water. 

The Ant crawled up on the leaf and 
the wind carried it along like a boat. The 
wind carried the leaf to the other bank of 
the stream. Then the Ant crawled off the 
leaf and up the bank. 

The Ant was very grateful to the 
Dove. 

After a while a hunter with a snare 
came to the woods. He laid the snare 


108 


THE ANT AND THE DOVE 


109 


for the Dove. He was going to catch 
her. 

The Ant watched the hunter. When 
the hunter was about to catch the Dove, 
the An t, bit his heel. This made the 
hunter jump and the Dove flew away 
safely. 


THE DOG- AND HIS SHADOW. 


Once upon a time there was a big 
dog, and the butcher gave him a bone. 
He took the bone in his mouth and 
walked through the streets, feeling very- 
proud. He held his head high, and his 
tail very stiff. He did not look to the 
right nor to the left. 

The little dogs ran behind him and 
barked. They said: 

“Please let us smell of your bone.” 
But the big dog would not stop. He 
wanted to sit down and eat his bone 
alone. He would not let the hungry little 
dogs even smell of it. 

Then he thought that he would bury 
the bone. He went on and on a long 
way. He wanted to find a place where 
no one would see it. There he would 
bury his bone and dig it up some other 
day to eat. 


no 



“Who is that dog?” he said to himself. 
































































































112 


THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW 


At last the big dog had gone farther 
than the town. He came to a clear brook. 
A board was laid across the brook for a 
bridge. The big dog started across the 
bridge, holding the bone more tightly. 

“There is no dog here to see me,” he 
said 

Just as he set foot on the bridge he 
saw another dog. This dog had a bone 
in his mouth. He seemed to be running 
along on top of the water. 

“Who is that dog?” he said to himself. 

When he stood still, the dog on the 
water stood still. When he went on, the 
other dog went on. When he turned his 
head, the dog in the water turned his 
head. 

“I do not like that dog,” said the big 
dog. “ I shall take his bone away from 
him.” 

The big dog leaned over the edge of 
the water. He opened his mouth very 


THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW 


113 


wide to take away the bone from the 
dog in the water. 

Splash! The big dog’s bone fell down 
in the water. There was no other dog in 
the water. It was the big dog’s shadow. 

The bone sailed away where he could 
not reach it. 

He had no bone because he had been 
selfish. 


THE CROW AND THE PITCHER. 


A Crow was very, very thirsty. He 
found a pitcher. There was a little water 
in the pitcher. 

The water was so low that the Crow 
could not reach it with his bill. He 
stretched his neck. 

He stood on the tips of his toes. Still 
he could not reach the water in the 
pitcher. 

The Crow tried to think how he could 
reach the water. He hit the pitcher to 
break it. He could not break it, for it 
was too strong. 

He pushed the pitcher to tip it over. 
He could not tip over the pitcher, for it 
was too heavy. 

At last the Crow thought how he 
could get a drink. 

He picked up a pebble. He dropped 
the pebble in the pitcher. He picked up 


114 


THE CROW AND THE PITCHER 


115 


another pebble and dropped it in the 
pitcher. 

The Crow picked up many pebbles 
and dropped them, one by one, in the 
pitcher. 

As he dropped in each pebble the 
water in the pitcher rose a little. 

When the Crow had dropped all the 
pebbles in the pitcher, the water rose to 
the top. Now he could reach it with his 
bill. 

Then the Crow drank as much water 
as he wanted. The Crow’s will had made 
a way. 


THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER. 

It was summer time and the sun 
shone. 

Out in the fields a little Ant was very- 
busy. He was picking up grains of corn. 
The corn was for him to eat when winter 
came. 

A Grasshopper danced in the grass 
near the Ant. He was not picking up 
grains of corn. The Grasshopper said to 
the Ant: 

“ Come and play with me. It is 
summer time. Do not work.” 

But the Ant said to the Grasshopper: 
“ I am picking up grains of corn to eat 
when winter comes. What will you have 
to eat in the winter?” 

The Grasshopper said: “ This is not 
the time to think about the winter. It is 
summer, and the winter is far away.” 

So the Grasshopper danced in the 


116 


THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER 117 


grass, and the Ant was very busy. He 
was picking up grains of wheat. The 
wheat was for him to eat when winter 
came. Again the Grasshopper said to the 
Ant: 

“ Come and play with me. It is 
summer time. Do not work.” 

But the Ant said to the Grasshopper: 
“I am picking up grains of wheat to eat 
when winter comes. What will you have 
to eat in the winter?” 

Again the Grasshopper said: “This is 
not the time to think about the winter. 
It is summer, and the winter is far away.” 

All s umm er the Grasshopper danced 
in the grass. All summer the Ant was 
busy gathering grains of corn and wheat. 

Then it came winter time. The snow 
covered up all the grain. The Grasshopper 
was cold. He was hungry, for he had 
gathered no grain in the summer. He 
went to the Ant’s house and said: 


118 THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER. 


“Please give me something to eat. I 
am hungry.” 

“What did you do in the summer 
time ? ” asked the Ant. 

“I danced in the grass,” said the 
Grasshopper. 

“ Dance now, then! ” said the Ant. 


THE WIND AND THE SUN. 


One day the Wind and the Sun were 
talking together. 

“ I am stronger than you,” the Sun 
said to the Wind. 

“No! I am stronger than you,” the 
Wind said to the Sun. 

Then they talked together of what 
they could do. 

“I bring the summer,” said the Sun. 
“I ripen the fruit and the grain. I bring 
all the flowers.” 

“I can break all the trees,” said the 
Wind. “I blow the ships. I can bring the 
cold winter.” 

The Wind and the Sun quarreled 
together. They talked a long time, and 
each thought it was the stronger. 

Then they saw a traveler coming. 
They said that they would try to see 
which could make the traveler take off 
119 


120 


THE WIND AND THE SUN 


his coat. The one that could do this would 
be the stronger one. 

The Wind tried first. The Sun went 
behind a cloud to let the Wind blow hard 
upon the traveler. The harder it blew 
the closer the traveler held his coat. 

The Wind blew as hard as it could. 
The traveler buttoned his coat and turned 
up the collar. The Wind could not make 
him take off his coat. 

The Sun came out. It sent warm 
sunbeams down upon the traveler’s head. 
The traveler opened his coat. Then he 
took it off. 

So the cold Wind knew that the 
warm Sun was the stronger one. It was 
stronger because it was kind. 











































































































